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姹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
chàbeautiful, colorful; girli, 9 strokes, radical 女, Very Hard
chà(cha4) T4
  1. 1beautiful, colorful; girl
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(奼)chà(cha4)

The character 姹 (chà) refers to something beautiful or colorful, often associated with girls or feminine beauty. It is commonly used in poetic contexts to describe vibrant colors and the allure of nature, particularly in floral imagery.

Strokes9RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the appreciation of beauty is deeply embedded in poetry and art, and characters like 姹 often appear in classical literature to evoke imagery of nature's splendor, especially in spring.

Memory Tip

Imagine a beautiful girl (姹) standing in a colorful garden, with flowers blooming all around her. The character itself shows a woman (女) next to a colorful representation (often implied by the context of beauty), helping you remember both its form and meaning.

Meanings of 姹

chà(cha4)
1beautiful, colorful; girl
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 姹

Simplified
Traditional
9Strokes
Radical
成语chéngyǔidiom (id.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 姹

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 姹

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a beautiful girl (姹) standing in a colorful garden, with flowers blooming all around her. The character itself shows a woman (女) next to a colorful representation (often implied by the context of beauty), helping you remember both its form and meaning.

Usage Notes

This character is often used in literary and poetic expressions rather than in everyday conversation, making it more formal. Be cautious with its tone; the fourth tone can sound similar to other words, so pronunciation practice is essential.

HSK Study Tips

Although 姹 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to the theme of beauty found in other HSK words like 美 (měi, beautiful) and 色彩 (sècǎi, color). Focus on understanding its use in literary contexts while expanding your vocabulary related to descriptions and aesthetics.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the appreciation of beauty is deeply embedded in poetry and art, and characters like 姹 often appear in classical literature to evoke imagery of nature's splendor, especially in spring.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 姹 with similar characters like 差 (chà), which means 'difference' or 'bad.' Remember that 姹 relates specifically to beauty and color, while 差 does not.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 姹

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Etymology of 姹

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 姹?

Decomposition of 姹

IDS Structure⿰女宅
Full Character
=
nü3
left
zhai2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 姹?

Write 姹

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 姹

姹 functions as a four-character idiom (成语). Treat it as a fixed unit; it usually plays the role of a single adjective, adverb, or noun phrase inside the larger sentence. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

你的花园将绿草成茵,____紫嫣红.

Your garden will be full of green grass and gay flowers.

Example Sentences for 姹 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
你的花园将绿草成茵,姹紫嫣红.

nǐ de huā yuán jiāng lǜ cǎo chéng yīn, , chà zǐ yān.

Your garden will be full of green grass and gay flowers.

Cultural Notes for 姹

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the appreciation of beauty is deeply embedded in poetry and art, and characters like 姹 often appear in classical literature to evoke imagery of nature's splendor, especially in spring.

Word Family of 姹

Words Containing This Character2
chàbeautiful
姹紫嫣红fig. beautiful purples and brilliant reds (idiom); lit. beautiful flowers奼紫嫣紅
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 姹 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 姹

In modern usage, 姹 is primarily found in literary contexts, describing beauty or colorful imagery, rather than in everyday conversation.